Remembering 'Deadliest Catch' Captain Phil Harris

[Maxim Oleksyn]

Phil Harris, known to fans of Discovery’s Deadliest Catch as captain of the crab fishing vessel Cornelia Marie, has
passed away. He suffered a stroke late last month while in
port off-loading at St. Paul Island in Alaska, where his sons, Jake and Josh,
remained by their father’s side. Phil was great because he was exactly what we thought a captain would
be: Frequently swearing, chain-smoking, and stressing; a teller of tales with a
fondness for pranks; a gruff man who’d choose to stay with his ship even when
his doctors said it was dangerous; and a softie who’d turn almost poetic when
he reflected on the only job he’d ever known.

In a statement, the boys remembered their father’s strong will. “Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We
will remember and celebrate his strength.” Discovery also paid tribute: “We
will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous
heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of
viewers who followed Phil’s every move.”

He will be missed.

[Bruno]

I know Harris had to leave the Cornelia Marie in Season 4 after experiencing health problems at sea. He returned undeterred in Season 5. On Jan. 29, he collapsed during a routine off-load at St. Paul Island.
This guy was a pirate. I don't care what they say!

[Horace]

This guy was hilarious--he once convinced viewers that he fished by looking for bubbles from crab farts! I was on the floor whenever I saw this dude.
His sons were freaking brats in my book. If either of them followed him in his footsteps, we will all be reading their Obits shortly...

[Jose Chan]

Oh shit Horace! LOL!!!

[Zen Elipsys]

Daaaaaaaaaaaamn H! LOL!!!

Well you are right! But the show will never be the same dude...

[Assassin]

*snicker*

[Rigor]

I am already stocked up for tonight’s episode…Empty house, check; Box of Kleenex, check; ice packs for my eyes afterwards, check; whiskey, double-check!

This is gonna be real hard on me.

[Assassin]

I’m a sucker — I watched the clip of Leno and sobbed. As someone who has not lost my father after an extended illness and hospital stay, this had to be very hard. I’m glad that Josh and Jake got those last few weeks with him to say all of the “I love yoos” that they can.

I'm TiVOing.

[Bruno]

I am right there with you Assassin; TiVOing tonite too… it has just been 5 years since I lost my father to a stroke, and my family and I sat there at his bedside for 5 weeks before he passed. I have to walk out of the room and just sob… and have to come back to finish the show or wait until another day to finish the show… My heart breaks for these boys because of knowing the pain they went through and are still going through.

[Hotrod]

I watch Countdown on MSNBC via the web. Every commercial in-between the clips has been for tonight’s ep. I’m just thankful that so many people on this site feel the same as I do. It just goes to show what kind of man Phil was. RIP Capt, we’ll miss you!

[Maxim Oleksyn]

I think we all feel this way today- lost, uncertain of how to feel. We’ve all known for months what fate has decided for our skipper. I think in a way we all wish that maybe he has been in a hospital; recuperating for the next king crab season, but we all wait, with a knot in our stomachs and tears ready to burst out of our eyes because we know the truth. It is hard as a fan. We had no funeral home to go to after he passed, we had no funeral to attend to say goodbye. We can’t hug the family and say our words of encouragement. This is such a weird feeling. This weekend I cried like I have when I have lost those closest to me. I feel like tonight will be our funeral, our chance to heal, our closing for our captain. It amazes me how close we all feel to someone we never met, but I’ve come to the realization that one good soul can recognize another and create a bond of mutual respect from that alone. Oh tonight will be so hard. God speed: Our Good Captain Phil.

[Zen Elipsys]

Max, we can always count on you to say things to sooth us. Put things in perspective. Thank you for that.

Personally, I can't watch. Something a little eerie...I know, this coming from someone whose avatar is a killer klown...

[Rigor]

Def the prayer warrior.

I will never forget the comfort you gave when my daughter almost died. And all members of the old TBD when any member needed your prayer. Blessed soul and a true heart...LillyKate is still crazy about you to this day.